This brochure was developed in partnership with the Massachusetts Consortium for Children with Special Health Care Needs, with significant input from a consumer advisory group, which comprised parents of children with special needs who represent diverse and underserved populations. Their collective experience determined the brochure’s key message ("Talk to other parents!"), its wording and format.

Download this brochure in English , Chinese , Haitian-Creole , Portuguese or Spanish .

Creating a Similar Brochure for Your Community: To facilitate the replication of Is Your Child Different?, we offer this summary of what our consumer advisors had to say on key messages, layout and design, dissemination strategies and more.

Background and Importance of Physical activity for Individuals with Disabilities and Special Health Care Needs

Rimmer, J.H. (2002). Health promotion for individuals with disabilities: The need for a transitional model in service delivery. Disease Management and Health Outcomes, 10(6), 337-343. Link to abstract via CrossRef

Durstine, J.L., Painter, P., Franklin, B.A., Morgan, D., Pitetti, K.H., & Roberts, S.O. (2000). Physical activity for the chronically ill and disabled. Sports Medicine, 30(3). 207-219. Link to abstract via PubMed Read the rest of this entry »»»

Bright Futures for Families–provide families with family-friendly child health and development information and materials based on the Bright Futures Guidelines used by health professionals across the country.

http://www.brightfuturesforfamilies.org/about_us.shtml

Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC)–Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources Services Administration website to help you find a clinic that will give you medical care, even if you have no medical insurance or money.

http://ask.hrsa.gov/pc/

Read the rest of this entry »»»

After a primary care provider completes a physical exam, he or she might refer the patient for some follow-up evaluations; for example, hearing test, vision test, etc. This handout explains briefly some of the possible referrals.  Page two of this posting provides referral terms in English ; page three offers the terms in Spanish .

Here are the referral sheets as MS Word documents:English | Spanish

This posting has multiple pages: 1 2 3

Bibliography of articles on discussions about the need for, or potential benefits of, early identification including prevalence rates of the disorder, possible screening procedures and cost-benefit estimates.

Here is the MS Word version of this bibliography.

This posting has multiple pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Bibliography of articles presenting the outcomes or observed impact of early identification or screening programs, including policy or procedural changes.

Here is the MS Word version of this bibliography

This posting has multiple pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6

Abstract: Bibliography of articles that focus on information that could aid in the development of early identification techniques, such as observed differences between those children with and those children without the disorder, or discussion of specific methods or processes of early identification, such as the development and validation of tests, measures or programs for screening or assessment.

Here is the MS Word version of this bibliography.

This posting has multiple pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Abstract: Studying the Early Identification of Children’s Developmental Disabilities: This Issues Brief, commissioned by the Commonwealth Fund, provides a profile of the research literature over the last 40 years on the topic of early identification of developmental disabilities in children.  In addition, this brief explores, from a research point of view, what more we need to do to advance the practice of early identification.

Documents (in MS Word format):

1. Studying the Early Identification of Children’s Developmental Disabilities: Prepared for the Commonwealth Fund, March, 2006
2. Appendix A: Bibliography
3. Appendix B: Databases
4. Appendix C: List of Key Informants

Information on the current solutions and barriers encountered in the health care system:

Sand N., Silverstein M., Glascoe FP., Gupta V.B., Tonniges T.P., & O’Connor K.G. "Pediatricians’ reported practices regarding developmental screening: do guidelines work? Do they help?" Pediatrics. 2005; 116:174-9.

Halfon N., Inkelas M., Abrams M., & Stevens G. "Quality of Preventive Health Care for Young Children: Strategies for Improvement."  Commonwealth Fund; 2005: pub. no. 822. Available at: http://www.cmwf.org/usr_doc/822_
Halfon_quality_preventive_hlt_care_young_child.pdf. Accessed 3/9/07.

Letter to the School Department requesting a school evaluation for a child.  In English and Spanish

Download MS Word versions of these letters: IEP Request Letter–English | IEP Request Letter–Spanish

This posting has multiple pages: 1 2 3

Council on Children With Disabilities; Section on Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics; Bright Futures Steering Committee; Medical Home Initiatives for Children With Special Needs Project Advisory Committee. Identifying infants and young children with developmental disorders in the medical home: an algorithm for developmental surveillance and screening.  Pediatrics. 2006;118:405-20.

The following articles address the question of how screening tools are implemented successfully into pediatric routine care. Read the rest of this entry »»»

• Abstract: Bibliography of early identification articles that focus on the following conditions: ADHD, autism, cerebral palsy, emotional/behavioral disorders, hearing, learning disorders, mental retardation or developmental delay, severe school difficulties, speech and language, vision, and other neurological disorders.
• Document: Early Identification–Bibliography of Articles by Disability Type (MS Word document)